Methods of forming field effect transistors and methods of forming field effect transistor gates and gate lines

ABSTRACT

In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistor includes etching an opening into source/drain area of a semiconductor substrate. The opening has a base comprising semiconductive material. After the etching, insulative material is formed within the opening over the semiconductive material base. The insulative material less than completely fills the opening and has a substantially uniform thickness across the opening. Semiconductive source/drain material is formed within the opening over the insulative material within the opening. A transistor gate is provided operatively proximate the semiconductive source/drain material. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to methods of forming field effect transistors,and to methods of forming field effect transistor gates and gate lines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semiconductor processors continue to strive to reduce the size ofindividual electronic components, thereby enabling smaller and denserintegrated circuitry. One typical circuitry device is a field effecttransistor. Typically, such includes opposing semiconductivesource/drain regions of one conductivity type having a semiconductivechannel region of opposite conductivity type therebetween. A gateconstruction is received over the channel region. Such includes aconductive region having a thin dielectric layer positioned between theconductive region and the channel region. Current can be caused to flowbetween the source/drain regions through the channel region by applyinga suitable voltage to the gate.

In some cases, the channel region is composed of a background dopedsemiconductive substrate, including doped well material thereof, whichis also received immediately beneath the opposite type dopedsource/drain regions. This results in a parasitic capacitance developingbetween the bulk substrate/well and the source/drain regions. This canadversely affect speed and device operation, and becomes an increasinglyadverse factor as device dimensions continue to decrease. Furtheradverse factors associated with smaller and denser field effecttransistor fabrication include source/drain leakage to the substrate,conducting etch stops on very thin gate dielectric layers, and formingcontacts with multi-level alignment.

While the invention was motivated in addressing the above issues, it isin no way so limited. The invention is only limited by the accompanyingclaims as literally worded (without interpretative or other limitingreference to the above background art description, remaining portions ofthe specification or the drawings) and in accordance with the doctrineof equivalents.

SUMMARY

The invention includes methods of forming field effect transistors andmethods of forming field effect transistor gates and gate lines. In oneimplementation, a method of forming a field effect transistor includesetching an opening into source/drain area of a semiconductor substrate.The opening has a base comprising semiconductive material. After theetching, insulative material is formed within the opening over thesemiconductive material base. The insulative material less thancompletely fills the opening and has a substantially uniform thicknessacross the opening. Semiconductive source/drain material is formedwithin the opening over the insulative material within the opening. Atransistor gate is provided operatively proximate the semiconductivesource/drain material.

In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistorhaving a conductive gate received over a gate dielectric and havinglightly doped drain regions formed within semiconductive materialincludes doping the semiconductive material effective to form thelightly doped drain regions prior to forming any conductive gatematerial for the transistor gate.

In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistorhaving a conductive gate received over a gate dielectric and havinglightly doped drain regions formed within semiconductive materialincludes doping the semiconductive material effective to form thelightly doped drain regions prior to forming any gate dielectricmaterial for the transistor gate.

In one implementation, a method of forming field effect transistor gatelines over a semiconductor substrate includes forming active area andfield isolation trenches within semiconductive material of asemiconductor substrate. Trench isolation material is deposited over thesubstrate within the trenches. The trench isolation material includesportions that project outwardly of the isolation trenches. A pluralityof gate line trenches are etched into at least those portions of thetrench isolation material that project outwardly of the isolationtrenches. Conductive gate material is formed within the gate linetrenches and over the active area.

In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistorgate over a semiconductor substrate includes forming an active area anda field isolation trench within semiconductive material of asemiconductor substrate. Trench isolation material is deposited over thesubstrate within the trench. The trench isolation material includes aportion that projects outwardly of the isolation trench. The portion hasan outermost planar surface. A transistor gate construction if formedoperably over the active area. The gate construction includes conductivematerial having an outermost planar surface at least over said activearea and which is coplanar with that of the trench isolation material.

In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistorhaving elevated source/drains on a substrate constituting part of afinal circuit construction includes forming elevated source/drainmaterial of the transistor prior to depositing an outermost portion oftrench isolation material received within an isolation trench andconstituting a portion of the final circuit construction.

In one implementation, a method of forming a field effect transistorhaving elevated source/drains on a substrate includes forming elevatedsource/drain material of the transistor prior to final patterning whichdefines outlines of the active area and field isolation.

Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below withreference to the following accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a semiconductor waferfragment in process in accordance with an aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the FIG. 1 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the FIG. 2 wafer fragment.

FIG. 4 is a view of the FIG. 2 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the FIG. 4 wafer fragment.

FIG. 6 is a view of the FIG. 4 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a view of the FIG. 6 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view of the FIG. 7 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view of the FIG. 8 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the FIG. 9 wafer fragment.

FIG. 11 is a view of the FIG. 9 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a view of the FIG. 11 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a view of the FIG. 12 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the FIG. 13 wafer fragment.

FIG. 15 is a view of the FIG. 13 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a view of the FIG. 15 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a top view of the FIG. 16 wafer fragment.

FIG. 18 is a view of the FIG. 16 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a view of the FIG. 18 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a view of the FIG. 19 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that shown by FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of theconstitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progressof science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

Preferred methods of forming field effect transistors are described withreference to FIGS. 1-20. FIG. 1 depicts a semiconductor substrate 10comprising a bulk monocrystalline silicon substrate 12. In the contextof this document, the term “semiconductor substrate” or “semiconductivesubstrate” is defined to mean any construction comprising semiconductivematerial, including, but not limited to, bulk semiconductive materialssuch as a semiconductive wafer (either alone or in assemblies comprisingother materials thereon), and semiconductive material layers (eitheralone or in assemblies comprising other materials). The term “substrate”refers to any supporting structure, including, but not limited to, thesemiconductive substrates described above. Also in the context of thisdocument, the term “layer” encompasses both the singular and the pluralunless otherwise indicated.

An oxide layer 14, such as silicon dioxide, is formed over bulk siliconsubstrate 12 to form a pad/protection oxide layer. Such could be formedby any technique, such as thermally oxidizing the outer surface ofsubstrate 12 in a steam ambient at 800° C. to 1100° C. for from oneminute to 120 minutes to form a substantially undoped silicon dioxidelayer 14 to an exemplary thickness of from 40 Angstroms to 200Angstroms. Another layer 16 is formed thereover, for instance siliconnitride, by chemical vapor deposition, for example. Collectively, layers14 and 16 can be considered as a sacrificial masking layer formed aspart of semiconductor substrate 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, sacrificial masking layer 14/16 has beenpatterned, preferably to define source/drain areas 20 of substrate 10and channel areas 18 therebetween. Such also depicts a substrate expanse22 the majority of which will ultimately constitute field trenchisolation, as will become clear in the following description of but onepreferred embodiment. Preferred patterning to produce the exemplaryFIGS. 2 and 3 construction is by photoresist masking and etch. Layer 16can be etched substantially selective to underlying oxide layer 14, orcompletely etched therethrough to the semiconductive material ofsubstrate 12. Lightly doped drain regions 24 are formed withinsource/drain areas 20 of semiconductive material 12 using patternedsacrificial masking layer 16/14 to mask channel areas 18. Such can ofcourse be formed by implant or other doping methods, for example usingphosphorous, arsenic or boron.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, sacrificial anisotropically etched sidewallspacers 25 are formed over the exposed sidewalls of sacrificial maskinglayer 14/16. Material for spacers 25 might be the same as or differentfrom materials 14 and 16. An exemplary preferred thickness fordepositing the layer which produces the anisotropically etched sidewallsis from 100 Angstroms to 200 Angstroms. Thereafter, first trenches oropenings 26, 28 are etched into semiconductive material 12 ofsemiconductor substrate 10, and which includes source/drain area 20.Patterned sacrificial masking layer 14/16 masks channel areas 18 duringsuch etching. Trenches 26, 28 have semiconductive material comprisingbases 30 which are received elevationally lower than lightly doped drainregions 24. Any suitable, preferably highly anisotropic, timed etch canbe utilized to produce the FIG. 4 depiction. An exemplary depth fortrenches/openings 26, 28 relative to an outermost surface of material 12is from 2,000 Angstroms to 5,000 Angstroms. Preferred openings/trenches26, 28 are in the form of channels spanning source/drain areas of aplurality of field effect transistors being formed, such as shown inFIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 6, insulative material 32 is formed within firsttrenches 26, 28 over bases 30, and preferably on bases 30 as shown. Anexemplary and preferred material is high density plasma depositedsilicon dioxide from the decomposition of tetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS). By way of example only, alternate materials such as siliconnitride are also of course contemplated. Typically, such provision ofinsulative material 32 will, at least initially, overfill (not shown)first trenches 26, 28. In the depicted example, such material 32 hasbeen planarized back, preferably by CMP, to selectively stop on theouter surface of sacrificial masking layer 14/16.

Referring to FIG. 7, insulative material 32 has been etched back toleave lower portions 33 of first trenches 26, 28 filled with insulativematerial 32 while leaving outer portions 34 of trenches 26, 28 open.Portions 33 of trenches 26, 28, and accordingly, insulative material 32received therein, preferably have a thickness of less than 1000Angstroms, and more preferably less than 600 Angstroms. An exemplarypreferred thickness range is from 300 Angstroms to 600 Angstroms for thematerial 32 remaining in trenches 26, 28 in FIG. 7. Further in the FIG.7 illustrated preferred embodiment, such insulative material has asubstantially uniform thickness across the openings. Such provides butone exemplary method of forming insulative material within openings 26,28 to less than completely fill such openings, here for example bydepositing insulative material and etching it back. Further inaccordance with a preferred aspect and as described, such etching ofinsulative material 32 occurs in a blanket manner, without using anyphotoresist masking during the etching.

The exposed semiconductive material surfaces in FIG. 7 are preferablywet cleaned, for example with HF, to remove any remaining oxide andrepair any damage to such surfaces.

Referring to FIG. 8, semiconductive elevated source/drain material 36 isformed within upper portions 34 of first openings/trenches 26, 28 over,and on as shown, insulative material 32 received within such openings.An exemplary preferred material 36 is conductively doped polysilicon,for example deposited by chemical vapor deposition. Typically, suchwould be deposited to overfill the illustrated FIG. 7 openings, andsubsequently planarized back by an exemplary polishing or etch backmethod. In such preferred embodiment, this leaves elevated source/drainmaterial projecting outwardly of first trenches 26, 28 relative tosemiconductive material 12.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a photoresist comprising layer 40 has beendeposited and patterned to mask desired active area 41 and exposedesired trench isolation area 42. Photoresist comprising masking layer40 is shown as being formed over sacrificial masking layer 14/16,spacers 25 and elevated source/drain material 36.

Referring to FIG. 11, exposed portions of sacrificial masking layer14/16, sacrificial spacers 25, elevated source/drain material 36 andsemiconductive material 12 of substrate 10 have been etched effective toform isolation trenches 44 within substrate semiconductive material 12using photoresist comprising masking layer 40, and then such has beenremoved. The above-described processing provides but one exemplarymethod of forming active area and field isolation trenches withinsemiconductive material of a semiconductive substrate. Any suitableetching chemistries, preferably anisotropic chemistries and methods, canbe employed to remove the various materials.

Referring to FIG. 12, trenches 44 have been filled with insulativeisolation material 46. Such might be the same or different incomposition as material 32 therebeneath. Typically and preferably, suchformation will be by a deposition which overfills the isolationtrenches, followed by a planarizing or polishing etch back to producethe illustrated FIG. 12 construction. Preferably as shown, such willproduce isolation material 46 to include portions 47 that projectoutwardly of isolation trenches 26, 28. Further preferably as shown,projecting portions 47 include outermost planar surfaces 48.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, a plurality of gate line trenches 50 areetched into outermost planer surfaces 48 into at least those portions 47of trench isolation material 46 that project outwardly of isolationtrenches 44. Preferably, such is conducted by photoresist masking andany suitable anisotropic, timed etch. Trenches 50 are also preferablyconfigured to align relative to sacrificial masking layer 14, 16 for theultimate formation of transistor gate lines, as will be apparent fromthe continuing discussion.

Referring to FIG. 15, all remaining portions of sacrificial maskinglayer 14, 16 have been removed from the substrate, preferably by anysuitable etching process or processes.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, anisotropically etched insulative spacers54 are formed within gate line trenches 50. Exemplary materials includesilicon dioxide and silicon nitride. Optimum spacer thickness can beselected based upon anticipated gate induced drain leakage in comparisonwith desired minimum conductive gate material width.

Referring to FIG. 18, a first material 56 of a first conductivity hasbeen deposited within gate line trenches 50. An exemplary material isconductively doped polysilicon deposited by CVD, and planarized back byCMP If complementary p-type and n-type transistors are being fabricated,n+ gate, n+ source/drain, p+ gate and p+ source/drain doping wouldpreferably occur to the FIG. 18 construction. Any desired well implantsmight be conducted at this point, also, prior to or after the depictedFIG. 18 processing.

Referring to FIG. 19, first material 56 has been partially blanketlyetched back within gate line trenches 50. Masked etching of only some offirst material 56 could also of course occur, or no etching of any firstmaterial 56.

Referring to FIG. 20, a second material 58 of a second conductivitygreater than the first conductivity has been formed onto first material56 within gate line trenches 50. Exemplary preferred materials includerefractory metal silicides, such as tungsten silicide, cobalt silicideand nickel silicide. Such could occur by direct CVD of the same, orrefractory metal deposition followed by salicidation anneal. Thus in thedepicted and described preferred embodiment, conductive portions of thegates are formed from materials 56/58.

Preferably as shown, such forms gates 60 within gate line trenches 50which have outermost planar conductive surfaces 62 which are coplanarwith outermost planar surfaces 48 of projecting portions 47 ofinsulative isolation material 46. Such also forms the conductivematerial of gates 60 to have a thickness “A” over immediately underlyingmaterial which is greater over active area 41 than a thickness “B” overtrench isolation material 46.

Such provides but one example of providing a transistor gate operativelyproximate conductive source/drain material 36, and as shown between suchmaterial for individual transistors. Such also provides an example wherethe source/drain material forms preferred elevated source/drains of thefield effect transistors being fabricated. Such also provides but oneexample of forming a transistor gate construction operably over theactive area for the field effect transistor, with the gate constructioncomprising conductive material having an outermost planar surface atleast over the active area which is coplanar with that of the trenchisolation material.

In accordance with but one aspect of the invention, the above processingdescribes but one exemplary method of forming a field effect transistorhaving a conductive gate received over a gate dielectric and havinglightly doped drain regions formed within semiconductive material. Suchmethod includes doping the semiconductive material effective to form thelightly doped drain regions prior to forming any conductive gatematerial for the transistor gate being formed. Of course, any of theabove or subsequently-described processing can be conducted relative toboth bulk semiconductive material or relative to other semiconductorconstructions, for example semiconductor-on-insulator circuitry, as wellas any other circuitry, whether existing or yet-to-be developed.Further, unless literally precluded by specific claim language for aclaim under analysis, various aspects of the above and below describedprocessing can be conducted with any sort of field isolation, and notlimited necessarily to trench field isolation.

In accordance with one preferred aspect of the invention, at least someof the field isolation material is formed after doping to form thelightly doped drain regions, for example the material 46 describedabove. Further preferably, source/drain material is provided in contactwith insulating material thereunder after doping to form the lightlydoped drain regions, preferably by depositing such source/drainmaterial. However, the formation of insulative material by othertechniques, for example ion implantation, is contemplated also, unlessotherwise precluded from claim language of a claim under analysis.

In another considered aspect, the invention constitutes a method offorming a field effect transistor having a conductive gate received overa gate dielectric and having lightly doped drain regions formed withinsemiconductive material, where the method includes doping thesemiconductive material effective to form the lightly doped drainregions prior to forming any gate dielectric material for the transistorgate.

Further in but one aspect of the invention, the invention contemplates amethod of forming a field effect transistor having elevatedsource/drains on a substrate constituting part of a final circuitconstruction. Such a method includes forming elevated source/drainmaterial of the transistor prior to depositing an outermost portion oftrench isolation material received within an isolation trench andconstituting a portion of the final circuit construction. By way ofexample only, an exemplary outermost portion of trench isolationmaterial includes material 46, as initially described in FIG. 12.Further preferably, the trench isolation material is formed by at leasttwo time spaced depositings, for example the depositings to formmaterials 32 and 46. Further preferably in such method, a later-in-timeof the depositings comprises the forming of the outermost portion (i.e.,material 46), while an earlier-in-time of the depositings occurs priorto forming the elevated source/drain material (i.e., formation ofmaterial/portions 33).

Further by way of example only, the invention contemplates a method offorming a field effect transistor having elevated source/drains on asubstrate, which includes forming elevated source/drain material of thetransistor prior to the final patterning that defines outlines of theactive area and field isolation. By way of example only, such finalpatterning is depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10 of the above preferreddescribed embodiment. Further preferably, the field isolation is formedto comprise trench isolation, and the elevated source/drain material isformed within openings in the semiconductive material of a semiconductorsubstrate. Further and in accordance with this aspect, a preferredmethod includes forming insulative material within the semiconductivematerial openings prior to forming the elevated source/drain materialwithin the semiconductive material openings.

Further in another preferred aspect with respect to the above, theelevated source/drain material is formed within the openings in the bulksemiconductive material of a bulk semiconductor substrate, as describedin connection with the preferred embodiment.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described inlanguage more or less specific as to structural and methodical features.It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown and described, since the means hereindisclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the proper scope of the appended claimsappropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine ofequivalents.

1-41. (canceled)
 42. A method of forming a field effect transistorhaving elevated source/drains on a substrate constituting part of afinal circuit construction, the method comprising forming elevatedsource/drain material of the transistor prior to depositing an outermostportion of trench isolation material received within an isolation trenchand constituting a portion of the final circuit construction.
 43. Themethod of claim 42 comprising planarizing the elevated source/drainmaterial prior to depositing said outermost portion.
 44. The method ofclaim 42 wherein the isolation trench is formed within bulksemiconductive material of a bulk semiconductor substrate.
 45. Themethod of claim 42 wherein the trench isolation material is formed by atleast two time spaced depositings.
 46. The method of claim 45 wherein alater in time of the depositings comprises forming said outermostportion, an earlier in time of the depositings occurring prior toforming said elevated source/drain material.
 47. A method of forming afield effect transistor having elevated source/drains on a substratecomprising forming elevated source/drain material of the transistorprior to final patterning which defines outlines of the active area andfield isolation.
 48. The method of claim 47 comprising forming the fieldisolation to comprise trench isolation.
 49. The method of claim 47wherein the elevated source/drain material is formed within openingsformed in semiconductive material of a semiconductive substrate.
 50. Themethod of claim 49 comprising forming insulative material within thesemiconductive material openings prior to forming the elevatedsource/drain material within the semiconductive material openings. 51.The method of claim 47 wherein the elevated source/drain material isformed within openings formed in bulk semiconductive material of a bulksemiconductive substrate.
 52. The method of claim 51 comprising forminginsulative material within the semiconductive material openings prior toforming the elevated source/drain material within the semiconductivematerial openings. 53-61. (canceled)